Advocacy - Thinking Outside the BoxDescription:This workshop is designed to promote creative thinking in servicing victims of crime with limited resources. The workshop attendee will gain tools on how to engage their community to assist with services provided and needed. This workshop will enable attendees to better manage direct services to victims while networking with other agencies and community partners to develop diverse avenues for service. This workshop will describe recruitment and training efforts to develop a volunteer unit and generate community interest in victims’ services.

Presenter:Chandra C. McPherson is the Director of Victim Services for the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office. McPherson oversees the day-to-day operation of the Victim Services Unit. McPherson is responsible for implementing programs and activities into the community highlighting the services offered by the Victim Services Unit. McPherson assists in the training of advocates and law enforcement on meeting the needs of crime victims through out the County. Under the leadership of Director McPherson the Victims Services Unit has been named Victims Services Unit of the Year by the National Sheriff’s Association and a fully functioning volunteer Victims ‘Services Unit has been established. Prior to joining, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, Ms. McPherson as a Department Manager with the Administration Department within the State Office of Victim Assistance (SOVA). McPherson was responsible for communicating with members and other stakeholders as it related to the day-to-day working of the Victim Services Coordinating Council as a staffer and assist with providing non-partisan leadership in strategic planning efforts. Ms. McPherson was also responsible for the oversight of the processing of all mail as well as served as one of the agencies legislative liaisons. Ms. McPherson served as the first civilian based Victim Services Coordinator for the South Carolina Highway Patrol developing a policy and procedure manual for the Unit. McPherson was very instrumental in the implementation of a statewide program servicing the citizens of South Carolina. Ms. McPherson served as an advocate for Highway Safety awareness in schools and local civic organizations across the State. Ms. McPherson is a graduate of the first South Carolina Victim Assistance Academy. McPherson is a member of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Victim Advocate Association and became credentialed by the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) in 2006 as a certified Crisis Responder. Throughout her career, Ms. McPherson has conducted and attended numerous trainings and special conferences. She has a vast knowledge of Victim Services and the protection of Victim’s rights. Ms. McPherson has also been granted certification as a victim service provider by South Carolina’s Office of Victim Services Education and Certification.

Recognizing and Documenting Child Physical Abuse and Neglect: Your Role as a Mandated Reporter (Part 1)Description:This training is designed for educators, law enforcement officers, emergency management personnel to include EMS, nurses and emergency room staff, victim advocates, counselors and others who are mandated reporters who are tasked with the responsibilities of reporting, documenting, collecting, and/or preserving evidence from a physically abused or neglected child. This course is designed to provide a more in-depth knowledge of abuse, neglect, exploitation, victimization and related dynamics of one of our most vulnerable population. It is designed to provide training in recognizing and documenting abuse, neglect and exploitation. Additionally, the participants will identify and understand medical terminology of certain types of abuse and the importance of their role as a mandated reporter.Presenter:Patsy Lightle received her Bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in Biology, certification in Medical Technology from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, Class 1 Police Officer Certification from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and post graduate hours in Forensic Science from the University of Virginia while attending the FBI in Quantico, Virginia. She has served over 35 years in law enforcement and forensic science to include crime scene, forensic serology and DNA analysis, child abuse, elder abuse, and vulnerable adult abuse investigations. She researched and developed the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s (SLED’s) Adult and Child Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits used for collecting adult and child physical and sexual abuse evidence which the FBI adopted as their training kit. She designed and implemented the Forensic DNA laboratory, SLED’s Department of Child Fatalities, and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Investigations Units. She was the supervisor over the SLED’s Special Victims Unit and investigated suspicious child deaths and vulnerable adult abuse, neglect and exploitation. She joined the Children’s Law Center in 2014 where she lectures on child physical abuse and neglect and child death investigations to various law enforcement agencies, medical personnel, social workers, coroners, victim advocates and academic institutions. She has testified in over 300 homicide and sexual assault cases.Stress Management and MindfulnessDescription:Victim service providers and victims alike undergo significant stress. Being able to recognize one’s own stress and how to better manage it may prove useful both in the work environment and in personal life. This workshop will assist participants in assessing their own stress and stress resilience. Mindfulness based strategies will be defined and discussed as useful stress management strategies. Group members will participate in several mindfulness activities during the workshop.Learning Objectives:1) Assess his/her own stress resilience2) Identify 3 mindfulness techniques to increase stress resilience.Dr. Rheingold is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the National Crime Victim's Research and Treatment Center (NCVC) within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is the Director of Clinical Operations at the NCVC. She completed her undergraduate coursework in 1996 at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating Cum Laude and with Honors in Psychology. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from MCP Hahnemann University (currently known as Drexel University). Dr. Rheingold completed a Pre-Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology at the Charleston Consortium Psychology Internship Program and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the NCVC -MUSC. Dr. Rheingold is the Director of several federally funded service grants to improve resources for survivors of homicide and a service grant to provide services for Hispanic interpersonal violence victims. Dr. Rheingold has published over 50 peer reviewed articles and book chapters in the area of trauma and victimization. She has received a number of awards recognizing her strong clinical skills and collaborative approach to working with patients such as the MUSC Foundation Outstanding Clinician Award, Charleston Consortium Psychology Internship Clinical Excellence Award, and the Liza’s Lifeline Person of the Year.

VSCC at A Glance “Ensuring Quality Services to Crime Victims”Description:The SC Victim Service Coordinating Council’s (VSCC) is a collaborative group made up of representatives from various disciplines across the state. The objective of the Council is to ensure that SC provides the highest quality of services to victims of crime.

Victims’ Voices Description:This workshop will focus on how crime can affect the entire family and not just the direct victim. What happens next? Being able to learn ways to cope with the victimization as a family and how to move forward afterwards is vital. Therefore, these areas will be will be discussed and explored through the “Victim’s Voice”.

Presenter: A native of Greer, South Carolina, Pam earned her MPA from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas and has worked in both the public and private sectors in various capacities over the past 25 years. Her journey as an advocate for victims of violent crimes began in late 2013 when her daughter, a student a the University of South Carolina became a victim herself. Currently Pam works as a Residential/Commercial Real Estate Broker in Greenville, South Carolina. She is active with several organizations that promote the understanding and awareness of Spinal Cord Injuries as well as working with the Shepherd Center in Atlanta and the Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital in Greenville. Pam resides in Simpsonville, South Carolina with her husband Ron and son Workman.

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.